At AVLF, our staff commits each and every day to bringing equal justice to all Atlantans.
We’re attorneys, fundraisers, social workers, activists, artists, accountants, and more. Some of us are transplants, and some of us are Atlanta natives. We’re all here to provide top-notch legal and social assistance to Atlanta families when they need it most.
Safe & Stable Homes Project
Co-Director, Safe & Stable Homes Project
Pierce Hand is Co-Director of the Safe & Stable Homes Project, and he specifically oversees the Standing With Our Neighbors (SWON) Program, which uses a placed-based legal services model to place attorneys directly in schools and communities for greater access to legal help. In this role, he leads a team of staff attorneys and community advocates to provide and arrange, through dedicated volunteer attorneys, free legal representation for indigent tenants facing dire housing legal matters. SWON partners AVLF with schools and other community allies to focus volunteer resources on improving living conditions and housing stability in low-income neighborhoods – all to improve resident health, reduce school enrollment turnover, and enhance student attendance and performance.
Pierce attended undergraduate college at Emory University and law school at Georgia State University College of Law. Prior to joining AVLF, he served as a senior prosecutor at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office; he worked in private practice as a commercial litigation associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP before then; and he taught public high school students as a former educator in Atlanta Public Schools. Currently, Pierce is an executive committee member of the Gate City Bar Association, a LEAD Atlanta Class of 2022 alum, a member of Mayor Andre Dickens’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, and a member of the Emory Alumni Board. He resides in Southeast Atlanta’s Poeplestown neighborhood with his husband, Scot, and he serves as Land Use and Zoning Chair for Neighborhood Planning Unit V.
Co-Director, Safe & Stable Homes Project
Crystal is the co-director of the Safe and Stable Homes Project, which provides legal representation and advocacy for people in landlord-tenant, eviction defense, and wage cases. She focuses on special initiatives and larger-impact efforts to promote affordable housing and anti-displacement measures in metro Atlanta. She serves as the managing attorney for the Eviction Defense program, including the City of Atlanta Pilot program providing “Access to Counsel” to tenants facing evictions.
Prior to joining AVLF, Crystal was a staff attorney and capital investigator at the Southern Center for Human Rights and an educator in Atlanta Public Schools. She obtained an undergraduate degree in history from Harvard College, a Master’s in Education from Georgia State University, and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.
Sr. Paralegal, Safe & Stable Homes Project
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Nikki is a Community Advocate with AVLF’s Standing With Our Neighbors program. She serves the NPU-V area and is based out of Gideons Elementary School, Dunbar Elementary School, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy.
Nikki developed a strong sense of devotion to the nonprofit sector while working in an educational setting. The experience ignited her passion for helping children and families improve their lives.
As an “army brat,” Nikki was born in Germany and moved to Atlanta in 1997. She received a B.A. from Clayton State University. In her free time, Nikki enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
Managing Attorney, Housing Court Assistance Center
As the Housing Court Assistance Center’s (HCAC) Managing Attorney, Cassandre administers and oversees the day-to-day operations of HCAC, and provides limited legal representation or legal advice to tenants facing eviction and other landlord tenant disputes. At the HCAC, tenants can get immediate advice about the eviction process. HCAC provides tenants with the knowledge and resources they need to advocate for themselves throughout the eviction process
Prior to joining AVLF, Cassandre worked as an immigration attorney at Catholic Legal Services in Miami, Florida. She counseled and represented clients in numerous immigration proceedings such as Asylum, VAWA, and Humanitarian Parole. In addition, Cassandre dedicated her expertise to assist hundreds of Haitian immigrants apply for Temporary Protective Status in the United States after the assassination of Haiti’s president and the country’s deteriorating political crisis, violence, and a staggering increase in human rights abuses.
Before practicing at Catholic Legal Services, Cassandre worked at Georgia Legal Services Program. In that position, Cassandre worked as the Eviction Prevention Project staff attorney and defended low-income tenants in eviction actions and other civil matters.
She received her J.D. from Appalachian School of Law, her M.S. in Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University, and her B.S. in Paralegal Studies from Nova Southeastern University. Cassandre was born and raised in Montreal, Canada to Haitian parents. She is fluent in French and Haitian Creole. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, hiking, and traveling.
Volunteer Engagement Manager, Safe and Stable Homes Project
Susan grew up in rural Illinois and earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University. She moved to Atlanta in 2011 to serve a year with a national service corps and has since worked with a number of local nonprofits to support volunteer engagement. Susan gained her certification in volunteer administration in 2017 and remains current with the designation and active in the volunteer engagement professionals community.
Susan lives in the Little Five Points area with her husband and two young children and enjoys exploring all that the city has to offer.
Senior Litigation Counsel
Ayanna is currently focused on assisting families that were relocated from Forest Cove as we support them during their displacement. Her duties also entail assisting tenants with systemic and specific issues that we have prioritized such as illegal evictions, and counterclaims that involve failure to repair.
Ayanna runs the hybrid eviction clinic/externship with John Marshall Law School. Finally, she is working on comprehensive training modules to support our wonderful volunteer attorneys. Additionally, she represents tenants that are facing eviction based on specific issues such as illegal self-helpwith issues such as illegal.
Ayanna received B.A. from Clark Atlanta University, J.D. from Emory University School of Law. Currently, she serves as chair of Public Interest Law Section of Atlanta Bar Association, Shriver Racial Justice Institute Fellow. Ayanna loves all things sci fi and sci fi adjacent.
Intake Coordinator, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Shameka completes intakes for all potential clients with Standing With Our Neighbors. She follow ups with clients 90 days after their cases close and sending closed file correspondence to clients.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Safe and Stable Homes Administrative Assistant
LeRoya Scott has worked as a Nonprofit Assistant providing administrative, clerical, and event coordinating support for various nonprofit agencies. Ms. Scott was born and raised in Rhode Island and has enjoyed living in Atlanta for over 23 years. She is a graduate of Rhode Island College (B.A.), Community College of Rhode Island (A.A.). And received a Certificate of Completion in Trademark Practice from the Patent Institute of Training (Atlanta), completed courses in Business Administration at Georgia State University, Davenport University, and attended numerous workshops to increase her skills in Philanthropy and Community Relations.
Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc. formerly employed her as an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. And has completed a Sports/Entertainment Philanthropy Internship with The Giving Back Fund, a nonprofit management organization for Athletes, Entertainers, and Business Leaders, and worked as a Development Assistant prospecting leads and drafting grant and sponsorship applications with Successful Smiles of Texas; H.O.P.E., Inc. (Helping Other People be Empowered); Flying Change Equine Therapy nonprofit organizations. She also completed long-term temporary assignments as an Administrative Assistant for World Airways Airlines and Cooper Lighting.
Ms. Scott’s tenure includes Peachtree City Recreation/Special Events, Advisory Board Member, and Young Nonprofits Professional Network (YNPN) Finance/Fundraising Committee Member, including (YNPN’s) Atlanta Leadership Team. She has volunteered with local organizations to support her community, including Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc., Evander Holyfield Foundation, Tech Bridge, the Atlanta Falcons’ Community Relations/Youth Programs, Kids & Pros, Inc., Chick-fil-A Leadercast Convention, Peachtree City Classic, and Diva’s Running Series Marathons. Other community efforts involve participating as a panelist for “One Peachtree City,” a roundtable discussion panel providing input for county-related issues facing the community.
LeRoya expresses her love and devotion to her parents, brother, and sisters, a host of nieces and nephews, and the family’s pet dogs, Point Dexter and Prince Charming. Additionally, along with her family and friends, she enthusiastically supports military families overseas by collecting and donating to “Coupons to Troops.” In her free time, she enjoys playing Pickleball (a combination sport of table tennis, badminton, and tennis), bowling, and practicing her golf swing (on the driving range).
Paralegal, Housing Court Assistance Center
Angela provides assistance to the managing attorney for the Housing Court Assistance Center with drafting documents, maintaining and organizing files, tenant intake and fact-gathering. She supervises law students and paralegal volunteers.
Angela graduated of Georgia Piedmont College with an associates in Paralegal Studies and
graduate of Clayton State University, with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Staff Attorney, Safe & Stable Homes Project
Erica provides clients with legal advice while their case is pending placement with a volunteer attorney or in lieu of their case being placed with a volunteer attorney.
Before joining AVLF, Erica was in private practice working general civil law with a focus on probate and estate law, elder law, family law, and real estate law. She also has a background in civil rights discrimination and intimate partner abuse. Erica holds a B.S. in psychology from Oglethorpe University and a J.D. from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Nekesha usually goes by Kesha. She’s a Community Advocate for AVLF’s Standing With Our Neighbors Program based in Slater Elementary and Price Middle School. This is part of AVLF’s focus within Atlanta Public Schools’ Carver Cluster.
Previously a family advocate at an early childhood education center, Kesha worked with families experiencing homelessness to find resources that lead to family stability: jobs, legal help, childcare, certification programs, health clinics, and, of course, housing. Originally a native of southern California, she moved to Georgia in 2009 to pursue a degree in criminal justice and sociology from Clark Atlanta University. While juggling school, Kesha also ran cross country and track. She also holds a Masters in Social Work from Georgia State University.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Shamyya – also known as “Mya” – is the Westside Community Advocate. She was a Community Advocate at Thomasville Heights Elementary School for AVLF’s Standing With Our Neighbors™ program.
As a native of Atlanta, Mya has been an advocate for children and families for over ten years, serving in low-income communities. She is committed to and passionate about enlightening, educating, and supporting her community. Mya is dedicated to being a voice – and an agent of change – for the people.
Mya is a devoted mother to her four-year-old high-energy son, Karter. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, shopping, and spending time with her family.
Managing Attorney, Saturday Lawyer Program
Cole serves as the managing attorney of the Saturday Lawyer Program.
Cole grew up in the upper-middle-class area of Bergen County, New Jersey, but his family struggled financially. In 1993, when Cole was sixteen years old, the bank foreclosed on the house he grew up in, and Cole and his family had to move to another town. Cole attended Williams College, where he worked in the dining hall for four years, serving food to and cleaning up after his wealthier classmates. During those years, Cole grew troubled by the stark class differences around him. After graduating magna cum laude from Williams, Cole worked in food service, in a vet’s office, and for a lawyer before deciding to apply to law school.
At Northeastern University School of Law, Cole was an active member of the LGBTQ community in Boston and on campus. Spurred by his experiences and observations of inequality and injustice, Cole decided to use his law degree to protect society’s most vulnerable. From 2005 until 2009, Cole worked for Lambda Legal, helping transgender people across the country stand up for their rights in court. After that, Cole followed his heart to serve people living in poverty – first in a rural setting through Georgia Legal Services Program, and, since 2014, in Atlanta through his work at AVLF.
Cole believes that knowledge is power; that small acts of kindness make a big difference; and that we must strive for our vision of liberation, even when it feels unattainable. He shares his home with his husband and a friendly pack of rescue dogs and cats.
Safe & Stable Homes Staff Attorney
Alexandria educate families on how to promote effective repairs and avoid evictions, the right to safe and habitable housing, and addressing issues such as indoor air quality.
She represents eligible clients in eviction defense and affirmative landlord-tenant cases. Additionally, Alexandria supports and advances AVLF’s housing programs throughout Fulton and Clayton Counties.
Paralegal, Safe & Stable Homes Project
Angel started with AVLF as a volunteer paralegal with the Saturday Lawyer Program. Her love and passion for helping other led to her role here as a Safe and Stable Homes Paralegal, Angel functions as the point of contact for our volunteer attorneys and clients ensuring the flow of information and case placement.
Angel obtained her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Georgia State University and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Georgia Piedmont Technical College, where she serves on the Paralegal Studies Board. Angel is currently completing her Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies in Criminal Justice Administration from Georgia State University.
In her free time, Angel loves spending time with family, shopping, enjoying the newest restaurants, and kicking back with a good book.
Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Ethan is a staff attorney with AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors (SWON) program. He provides individual representation and legal support at the SWON community-based sites in the NPU-V area, including Dunbar Elementary School, Gideons Elementary School, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy. He works to advocate for tenants, hold landlords accountable, and assist volunteer attorneys with legal matters.
Prior to joining AVLF, Ethan was an Assistant Public Defender with the Dekalb County Public Defender Office. He attended the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors®
Kitty Wright is a licensed social worker working in as a NPU-V Community Advocate with the Standing with Our Neighbors program based out of Kindezi Gideons Elementary. She primarily works with tenants who are having issues with their landlord. She was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and graduated from Grady (Midtown) High School. She graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A in Sociology in 2019 and a Master of Social Work in 2022. She is passionate about community partnerships, empowering community members, and thinking creatively. She has a background in community development and nonprofit management and social enterprise. In her free time she enjoys watching Braves baseball, gardening, and reading.
Community Advocate
As the SWON Community Advocate, Quentin collaborates with staff attorneys and community providers to focus on addressing housing instability in the Carver cluster neighborhoods.
He engages in relationship building with partner organizations and assists tenants with landlord tenant issues, including evictions, and repairs and conditions. Quentin earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Buffalo State College and earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Hilbert College in New York. He grew up in Queens, in New York City.
Safe & Stable Families Project
Co-Director, Safe & Stable Families Project
As the Safe and Stable Families Managing Staff Attorney, Joel focuses on offering assistance and representation to survivors of domestic violence. He also manages the Safe Families Office within the Fulton County Courthouse, a walk-in clinic that is co-run with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence.
Prior to joining AVLF, Joel was the Supervising Staff Attorney at the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless. There he oversaw the organization’s legal program and provided representation to individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless or who were already experiencing homelessness. He provided counsel in numerous areas, including landlord-tenant law, family law, disability law, and wage and labor disputes.
He received his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law and his B.A. in International Studies and French from Berry College. Joel is a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, and is fluent in Spanish and French.
Co-Director, Safe & Stable Families Project
As Co-Director of AVLF’s Safe & Stable Families Project, Jamie works with the other Co-Director to manage, build, and maintain partnerships for all intimate partner abuse and family law programming, with her focus being on the Standing with Survivors Mobile Advocacy and Social Work & Advocacy Programs, as well as Volunteer Engagement.
Jamie currently serves as a Member-at-Large and Family Law Institute Sponsorship Co-Chair on the State Bar of Georgia’s Family Law Section Executive Committee and as an Advisor on the State Bar’s Access to Justice Committee. She recently served on the Board of Directors for Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and as the Co-Chair of the Fulton County Family Violence Task Force. Prior to joining AVLF, Jamie practiced family law at Holland Roddenbery LLC. She obtained her JD from the University of Georgia School of Law, where she served on the Georgia Law Review. Jamie is the recipient of the Anti-Defamation League’s 2022 Emerging Leader Award.
Senior Paralegal, Family Law Program
Andrea acts as a liaison between AVLF Family law program attorneys, clients, and volunteer attorneys. She provides all aspects of litigation support to staff attorneys. In addition, she provides non-legal independent advice and direction to survivors of intimate partner abuse. Independently, Andrea advises clients on what to expect in court in both TPO and family law proceedings.
Temporary Protective Order Virtual Administrator, Safe & Stable Families Project
Brianna facilitates the virtual Temporary Protective Order process for petitioners and collaborates with legal advocates and the court staff to get petitioners scheduled for virtual ex parte hearings. Her specific responsibilities include processing documents, delegating intake assignments, conducting intakes, inputting data, and maintaining records.
She graduated with honors in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and a minor in Women’s Studies. In 2018, she earned her Master of Public Administration with a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Organizations and Community Governance.
Paralegal, Safe Families Office
Charlette Woodall is the Paralegal for Safe Families Office. Charlette mainly handles motions regarding the protective orders and assisting our volunteer attorneys for SFO. She is also an Atlanta native who is passionate about solving social issues that affect low-income communities in Atlanta. She graduated from the University of West Georgia and obtained her B.A. in Philosophy. Charlette also attended Georgia State University and obtained her Master’s in Criminal Justice Administration focusing on creating more efficient and maintainable services while leading and managing Criminal Justice systems.
Managing Attorney, Safe Families Office
Christen assists survivors of intimate partner violence, elder abuse, and child abuse in a myriad of ways, including: preparing Temporary Protective Order (TPO) paperwork; educating clients, volunteer attorneys, and the public on TPO procedures in Fulton County; referring clients to victims’ assistance programs; providing legal representation for TPO-related court hearings; and referring clients to community resources – such as emergency housing/shelter, support groups, mental health, and other services.
Christen earned her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law where she was elected Class President. Prior to law school, she received her M.Ed., magna cum laude, in Community Development Action from Vanderbilt University. Christen graduated from the University of Maryland, summa cum laude, where she earned a B.A. in Criminology and Psychology. She held the highest GPA in her class and received the Peter P. Lejins Award for Academic Excellence.
Christen hopes she lives long enough to see the Buffalo Bills win a Superbowl (which is why she’s trying to exercise, eat well, and live a very long time).
Community Legal Advocate, Standing with Survivors Program
Social Worker, Social Work & Advocacy Program
Courtney provides trauma informed crisis intervention and advocacy services to clients seeking assistance with filing a temporary protective order along with co-leading and supervising the SWAP MSW internship program. She serves as the VLAN navigator for the Georgia Victims Legal Assistance Network assisting with sending and receiving referrals from network partners.
Courtney graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Psychology, graduated with honors with a Masters of Social Work, and has received her LMSW. She is currently pursuing her LCSW.
Staff Attorney, Safe & Stable Families Project
Daysha Brown provides legal assistance to clients across the SSF program. Her main focus is to represent clients, through our Family Law Program, with family law matters such as Divorce and Custody Proceedings. Additionally, she assists with TPOs, legal advice to SFO clients, and outreach events with SWS.
Daysha is currently licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia. She received her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. Before law school she earned her Bachelors of Arts degree, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Daysha loves trying new restaurants and enjoys recreating (or attempting to) the recipes at home.
Staff Attorney, Safe Families Office
Grace serves as the Staff Attorney in the Safe Families Office, located in the Fulton County Courthouse. There, she provides legal assistance and representation to survivors of intimate partner abuse.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Grace is committed to providing legal services to the Atlanta community. Before joining AVLF, Grace was a Staff Attorney at Atlanta Legal Aid. Grace received her J.D. from Emory University School of Law, graduating with the Pro Bono Publico Award. During law school, she worked with the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic and interned with AVLF and Atlanta Legal Aid. Grace received a B.S.A. Honors Interdisciplinary Studies degree from the University of Georgia, graduating magna cum laude with Honors from the UGA Honors College.
Community Advocate, Social Work & Advocacy Program
Jill provides services to survivors of domestic violence. Working with clients remotely and meeting them where they are.
Jill graduated from Kennesaw State University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Georgia. Jill’s latest role was as the Managing Legal Advocate for the Partnership Against Domestic, where she co-ran the Safe Families office. Jill is also the former co-chair of the Fulton County Task Force.
Safe Families Office Administrator
Program Manager, Standing with Survivors Program
Kenya is the Program Manager for our Standing with Survivors Program, managing the mobile advocacy team that provides support and resources to survivors of intimate partner abuse in the community.
Volunteer Engagement Manager, Safe & Stable Families Project
Lilli is the Volunteer Engagement Manager for the Safe and Stable Families Project- she’s responsible for recruiting, training, and overseeing volunteers for the Intimate Partner Abuse program, Guardian ad Litem program, and Family Law program.
She joined AVLF in 2014, has watched the organization grow from 10 people to nearly 50, and has been honored to train hundreds of attorneys and work with thousands of clients in that time. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. In her free time, you can find her chasing her toddler around farmers markets and traveling.
Program Manager, Social Work & Advocacy Program
Mary manages the Safe & Stable Families Project’s Social Work & Advocacy Program, which provides various resources and supports to help survivors of intimate partner abuse gain greater safety and stability. She also works directly with clients as part of the Social Work & Advocacy team, assisting clients in addressing concerns around housing, shelter, healthcare needs, counseling, emotional support, access to benefits, financial planning & assistance, and more.
Before joining AVLF, Mary graduated with a Master’s in Social Work and Master’s in Public Health from the University of North Carolina. She recently served in leadership in the Fulton County Family Violence Task Force and has previously worked in violence prevention education, research, and advocacy. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker and is committed to working against intimate partner abuse and supporting survivors. In her spare time, Mary enjoys baking pies and playing music.
Legal Assistant, Family Law Program
Sharlena assists with administrative tasks for the Family Law and Guardian ad Litem Programs. She is responsible for the Family Law Program intakes and determining which clients qualify for the Guardian ad Litem Program.
Community Support & Partnership
Director of Community Support and Partnership
Sonya Humphries is AVLF’s Director of Community Support and Partnership. This position emerged from a collaboration with Partners for HOME, a nonprofit founded by the City of Atlanta to manage the Atlanta continuum of care for homeless services. Sonya is responsible for administering emergency financial assistance to clients who are on the verge of eviction or loss of necessary services such as gas or electricity.
Sonya is a lifelong Atlanta resident. She previously served as Assistant Director of Advancement Services and Donor Relations at Georgia Piedmont Technical College and was Institutional Advancement Coordinator at Atlanta Technical College. She is a graduate of Atlanta Metropolitan State College and Atlanta Technical College and a proud Walter F. George High School alumnus. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, decorating her home, and watching Cary Grant movies.
Diaspora Support Advocate
Diaspora Support Coordinator
La’Nette assess, coordinates, and leverages partnerships to connect tenants to supportive services, including but not limited to removing barriers to housing stability and equitable access to public benefits, employment resources, coordinating with children’s new schools to assist students in overcoming achievement obstacles precipitated by the displacement.
La’Nette graduated with honors with a degree in Business Management and was the TCSG Student of the Year for the entire state of Georgia. Using her platform, she has represented Atlanta’s disadvantaged and marginalized population on the floor of the Georgia Senate, The House of Representatives and in the office of Former Governor Nathan Deal.
She is a native of Syracuse, New York.
Diaspora Support Advocate
Kelsie provides emotional and practical support to families experiencing displacement and housing insecurity. She assist families in navigating barriers and connecting them to resources to help them find stability in stressful situations.
Kelsie attended Georgia State University for Political Science. She is a certified 500 Hour Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor and uses this education to assist her clients find pockets of calmness in the midst of chaos.
Diaspora Support Advocate
Diaspora Support Advocate
Amber provides education, advocacy and assistance with developing plans and connects clients to services needed. This includes but not limited to removing barriers to housing stability and equitable access to public benefits, employment resources, coordinating with children’s new schools to assist students in overcoming achievement obstacles precipitated by the displacement.
3-4 sentences about your education/achievements (optional):
She graduated from Benedict College. Amber’s major is Psychology with a Degree in Arts. While attending Benedict College, Amber was an advocate for domestic violence.
She is from Atlanta, Ga.
Diaspora Support Advocate
Administration
Executive Director
Michael became AVLF’s Deputy Director in January 2014, and stepped into the role of Executive Director in 2020. Previously, he served as the Director of Housing and Consumer Programs, managing a variety of programs that provide legal representation to low-income individuals. He litigated in the areas of landlord-tenant law, unpaid wages, debt-defense, and debt collection.
Michael came to AVLF after working as a staff attorney for the Georgia Legal Services Program, representing low-income Georgians in a variety of civil matters. Prior to coming to Georgia, Michael was a fellow at Public Justice, P.C., a national public interest law firm in Washington, D.C. He also spent several years working for change in the Texas state legislature. Michael holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He spent his final year of law school studying at Harvard Law School and clerked for the Honorable Catherine C. Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Baltimore before beginning his legal career.
Deputy Director
Juan A. Figueroa joins AVLF as the new Deputy Director. Born in Ciales, Puerto Rico, Juan is a lifelong public interest advocate with a successful background in law, policy and civil rights at the national, state and local levels. His extensive legal career includes assignments as staff attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; Assistant Attorney General for the state of Connecticut; President and General Counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now Latino Justice, PRLDEF) in New York City; and Of Counsel to the Law Offices of David N. Feliu in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Mr. Figueroa served as State Representative for Hartford’s Third Assembly District and in 2010 became the first Latino in Connecticut to run for Governor. He was President of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, served as Chief of Staff to Hartford Mayor, Pedro Segarra and served as the President and CEO of the Jefferson Foundation in Missouri. In 2021, he relocated to the state of Georgia where he has served as Interim COO of Chris 180 as well as Interim Executive Director of the Sapelo Foundation.
“We are thrilled to welcome Juan to the AVLF team,” said Executive Director Michael Lucas. “He brings with him incredible experience and a vast background that is already yielding new insights for AVLF. We are fortunate that he will now be leading our day-to-day operations.”
A former op-ed columnist for the Hartford Courant, his views and opinions have appeared in print and broadcast. His national news roster includes the New York Times, The Today Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Crossfire, Geraldo Rivera Show, Univision and Telemundo. Mr. Figueroa has received numerous community awards and recognitions for his tireless dedication to public service. He holds honorary degrees from CUNY Law School in New York and Charter Oak College in Connecticut.
Mr. Figueroa received his Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University in California and his Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College in St Paul Minnesota. He and his wife Helene reside in Stone Mountain, Georgia and have one daughter, Taina.
Director in Human Resources
Takoya recently joined the AVLF team as the Director in Human Resources. She is originally from Florida but Georgia is where the heart is. She is a graduate of Georgia State University (GO PANTHERS!!!) with a Bachelor of Managerial Science, concentration in Humana Resources. Takoya has over 10 years of Human Resource experience. Bringing great HR knowledge and wealth to an already awesome organization. She has volunteered for local charities and organizations like PAWS Atlanta, The Georgia Aquarium, and Decatur Book Festival. Takoya keeps busy with her 3 kids, 3 dogs, being the team mom for a youth football team and a cheer coach.
Finance Manager
Karen maintains accurate financial records and provide the organization’s management team with timely and accurate information. She also manages and maintains budgets, deposits, disbursements, and grant reporting inquiries from staff. Maintain monthly/quarterly reconciliations of all balance sheet and income statement accounts based on the closing schedule.
Karen graduated with a degree in Business Management and Accounting from Baker Business College. She has over 10 years of accounting experience working for several non-profits, including the Housing Development Corporation, Metropolitan Baptist Church, and Hasselbring Senior Center.
One personal fact about Karen is she had the opportunity to return to my country of origin while serving as an International Project Manager for Payless ShoeSource. The opening of the first five retail stores on the island was her responsibility.
Information Technology Manager
Annual Campaign Manager
Development Director
Libby is originally from Columbus, Georgia. She has served the Atlanta non-profit community for over 20 years in various capacities after starting her career in the Press Office of Governor Roy E. Barnes. Now six years with AVLF, Libby has seen the organization grow from a $1 million to $6 million non-profit with over 40 employees (she thinks there were 11 staff when she started). She is a graduate of Clemson University with a BA in Political Science (Go Tigers!), and in her spare time, enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her pets. She lives in Decatur with her husband, Chad.
Office Manager
As the office manager at AVLF, Terri meet the demands of a staff of over 50 ensuring matters are handled expeditiously, proactively, and projects are followed through to a successful completion.
She manages inventory ensuring office supplies and printed materials are maintained while multi- tasking between departments and providing maintenance of office equipment and requesting repairs as needed. Terri is also the project manager for all in house celebratory events for staff.
